.MTU1Mg.MTc1NDc

High, and humble ourselves before Him on account of the numerous offences with which in His omnicient [omniscient] eye, our hearts and lives are stained.

Recollecting that our munificent benefactor expects from His creatures returns proportioned to the blessings with which they are favored; to the light which they enjoy, let us impartially contrast the favors which He has bestowed on us with the returns which we have made, and compare our temper and conduct with the unerring rule of His word. And while with deep unfeigned penitence, we confess the numberless deficiencies which we cannot fail to discover, and lament our wide deviations from that path of duty[?] in which as a community professedly Christian we are sacredly bound to walk, let us entreat the Father of Mercies, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to forgive our manifold transgressions, and to grant us the powerful aid of His Good Spirit, that we may not only utter the language of penitents, but “bring forth fruits meet for repentance”. Sensible that on Him we are entirely dependant [dependent] for the continued enjoyment of our civil and religious privileges, for the success of our enterprizes [enterprises], and for the supply of our wants, let us commend our public and private interests to His providential, protecting care, and beseech Him still to watch over and to bless us; to guide all who are entrusted with the administration of our affairs; to accompany with his blessing, and thus to crown with success the exertions of those who minister at His alter; to “rain righteousness” upon our towns and churches; to shed His choicest influences upon our Colleges, Academies and Schools; to lead our youth in the path of virtue and piety; to smile propitiously upon the labors of the husbandman, prosper our Commerce, Manufacturers and Fisheries; and cause the voice of health, of rejoicing, and of devout thankfulnes to be heard in our habitations.

To His watchful care let us also commend the interests of our sister States, and of our common country, beseeching Him to preserve its peace and prosperity; to bless the Chief Magistrate of these United States; to preside in the Grand Council of our Nation; to cause Literature, Science, Morality and Religion to exert a combined, and increasingly powerful influence upon our national character, and to succeed the efforts of every society and of every individual, whose object it is to render